Travel: UK Day Trips - The Midlands!

The UK is amazing. I feel like we have started more than a few posts with that line over the year. Being based in the Midlands we have been able to take full advance of exploring this wonderful island.

We thought we'd take a moment to round up our UK highlights, it ended up being too much for one post so we have split it into three - starting with the Midlands, followed by the South and then the North! So if you want a day trip or mini break or long weekend then there might be somewhere for you to check out.

So without further ado here's our list:
Midlands:
Stratford-Upon-Avon: This beautiful town that sits beside the ever stunning Avon river is at its best in Summer. With events happening almost daily and enough history to keep you entertained for weeks this place is a MUST visit - here's a few more reasons why you need to add it to your to do list: post here.

Warwick: Another must for history fans and based in the middle of England is Warwick - home to the world famous castle and beautiful town sat among rolling hills. Easy to get to and jam packed with things to do this town is for everyone. If you want to read more on the castle check out what to expect here.

Birmingham: We couldn't miss out our home town. From the worlds largest Primark to entertain the shopping fans to Legoland and aquarium, more canals than Venice, parks galore, a wildlife conservation park and so, so, so much more you can't head to the Midlands and not visit Birmingham. Here's a couple of other reasons for stopping by: click here.

World's biggest Primark!

Photo from https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/guide/where-to-eat-birmingham

Nottingham: Home of Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest this city mixes ancient myth with modern offerings and is definitely worth a day trip. If you want to visit the area but avoid the hustle and bustle of the centre we suggest checking out Wollaton Hall, here's why.

Aston: Home of Aston Villa for the football fans - it is a super impressive stadium and home to Aston Hall - where James Watts (steam engine builder) this place is worth jumping on a train from Birmingham to see. The house offers tours and click here to see what to expect.

Cadburys World: A day eating and learning about chocolate is what you can expect with a trip to Cadbury's World and who doesn't love that?! Well actually if you don't there is so much more than a trip to the factory. Based Bourneville the factory is surrounded by the most chocolate box town you will ever see. Every building is beautiful, the park, the school - it's all perfect, and well worth a visit.  Oh and it's only a short drive or train ride from Birmingham. Click here for our experience.

The Cotswolds: We LOVE this beautiful part of the country so much. There are so many beautiful places to explore, small villages, chocolate box cottages, quaint cafes, stunning walks and places to relax. Whether it's admiring the fields of lavender (here's where you can check it out), walking by the river or figuring out is lower or upper slaughter is the prettiest you can get lost in the Cotswolds for days - we did and here's what we got up to - click here.

And if you want to wear your kids out or have a ton of fun yourself then Star City is also worth adding to the to-do list. With indoor mini golf, laser quest, bowling, roller rink and so much more you won't be bored on a visit. See what we did when we visited here.

Are there any Midland must do's that you would add to the list?

Review: Warwick Castle, UK!

In the 5 years that we have lived in Birmingham we have driven past signs for Warwick Castle frequently and added it to our to do list. Sadly time has never allowed a visit and then when Annabelle arrived we pushed it down the list thinking it wasn't going to be baby friendly. 

We were wrong!

On Saturday we were invited to check out everything Warwick Castle had to offer, as a family,  including The Falconers Quest - the new birds of prey show for Summer 2019. 

As summer had finally arrived in the UK we decided to head to the castle after Annabelle's nap so that we weren't out in the hot sun all day. We had headed to my parents in Stratford-Upon-Avon so Annabelle could nap there and we were only 15 minutes from the castle. 

It worked perfectly, Annabelle woke up at 1.30pm and we were at the Castle check in at 2pm. With map in hand we headed off to explore. We had taken the baby carrier as we knew that there was going to be walking involved, it ended up being a great decision - although Annabelle was happy to enjoy the grounds when the opportunity allowed. 

We started with the towers and ramparts, it involved 500 steps, most of these were inside the towers so were steep and small - they really built castles for a purpose back in the day :) The views at the top were well worth the work out though. Annabelle was entertained with the climb and we had remembered water so I was able to stay hydrated, so all in all it went well. 

The rampart walk wasn't all about the steps though. Along the route were rooms jam-packed full of displays, one thing Warwick does really well is bring history to life. The displays included life-size models, plenty of pictures and stories, interactive guides and surround sound to make you really feel part of the past. As a history buff I LOVED IT! Thankfully Annabelle was also into it.

It took us around an hour to complete the walk and after we finished we headed straight to the Kingmaker - a journey through preparations for war with sights, sounds and scenes that would have happened back in 1471. Being inside allowed us to cool down and have some respite from the sun.

As we finished it was almost 3.30pm, time for the afternoon show of The Falconers Quest. We headed to the riverside arena and took our seats on the grass verge. There was seating available but with Annabelle ready to stretch her legs we decided the grass would give her more space to roam.

As soon as the show started we didn't have worry about Annabelle wandering, she was mesmerized. We all were. From the beautiful barn owl to the gigantic Bald Eagle, the sprightly harris hawks and the huge condor it was amazing. The trainers had the birds flying low over the crowd and the story being told kept us all engaged. It was the first time we have ever taken Annabelle to anything like this and based on this experience we would definitely do it again. 

To continue the bird theme we headed to the peacock garden to check out the beautiful flowers. What we discovered was numerous peacocks hiding in the bushes and wandering the gardens, we were able to get up close and even get a selfie! It was a lovely experience. 

The walk back to the main castle ground gave us a real perspective of the size of the castle. There were so many places to sit and enjoy a picnic or let children run wild. We strolled past the archery area where people were learning the skill and set up a blanket so Laura and Annabelle could relax while I headed up the Conquers Fortress - the oldest part of the castle. 

The walk up the mound was on an incline but it was made easier with the distraction of signs packed with interesting facts. Warwick was chosen as a strategic castle due to its central location and was visited by plenty of royal family members previously. It's proximity to the spa town at Leamington also helped. Or so I found out! At the top the reconstruction is impressive and is another castle. 

After making it back to my girls we finished the trip at the Time Tower. This for me was another highlight. Taking you back to the very start of the castle an walking through the ages you got to meet people who had played a part in the history. From battles to restoration, from family relations to family squabbles you get it all. I particularly liked the talking pictures that really bought it to life. 

With the ground closing at 5pm we made our way out towards our car with smiles on our faces and so much to talk about. There were still things we wanted to see so we will be back. We may even looking into doing the overnight stay there - it sounds like quite the experience! 

As I say we were wrong about how family friendly the castle was - it is the perfect place to take kids of any age. There are things for every age and so much to do that you can really make your own day. I loved the history, I loved the way the history was bought to life, I loved the effort that Warwick Castle put into everything and couldn't recommended it enough as a day out. 

We'd like to thank Warwick Castle for the gift of tickets, the review is entirely our own words and thoughts. 

Have you been? What did you think?